Samah Sabawi's family became refugees after the 1967 war shortly after her birth in Gaza. In her play Them, she aims to convey the impact of being under siege and the difficult choice of leaving one's homeland. Sabawi found inspiration during a 2015 speaking tour in Finland amidst the Syrian refugee crisis. She reflects on her own family’s history and the shared stories of many refugees. The play infuses elements of humor and love while addressing the harsh realities of life in conflict. A production by Professor Malek Najjar will be staged at the University of Oregon this summer.
"There is great power in truth, and although my characters are fictional, the stories are real, the circumstances are real and based on real experiences of people I know, and have spent a considerable amount of time with."
"Our lives, even in tragic moments, have moments of humanity and humor and love and kindness. ... I wrote Them to bring the music, the humor, and love as well as the horrific reality of life in a war zone."
Collection
[
|
...
]